"A Lasting Legacy"

It is shocking to learn that 37% of the folks who go to church regularly give nothing!  Only 8% of Wills contain any directives regarding charitable giving.  Charitable giving for Christians is about 3% annually, given out of income not net worth.

If Christians increase their giving from 3% to the biblical standard of a tithe, 10%, an additional $150 billion would be available for the redemptive work of the Kingdom of God annually.

 When it comes to a lasting legacy, what should we consider?

• The intergenerational transfer of wealth in the next fifty years will exceed $100 trillion.
• Charitable Gift Planning is different from Planned Giving.  Charitable Gift Planning focuses on current gifts, not deferred gifts.  It starts the process of spiritual multiplication today. 
•  The goal is to help our heirs without harming them and managing their expectations.
• 80% of men will predecease their spouses. 
•  Providing for the business of the Kingdom of God is a high priority for Christians.
• Do the heirs clearly understand the donor’s charitable priorities and intentions?
• The estate should be tax efficiency driven.
• We will leave all of our estate behind, but we get to choose the next steward. 
•  This is the last stewardship decision we will make.
• The question is not, “How much can we leave our heirs?”  Rather the questions should be, “How much will our heirs need?” 
•  How does God want us to allocate the resources entrusted to us?

These items are worthy of our consideration.

Blessings!